Re: Muta cum liquida in JRRT (was "Double stressed" words)

On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 14:48:19 -0400, Isidora Zamora <isidora@...>
wrote:

>At 01:14 PM 8/29/03 -0400, you wrote:
>>Isidora Zamora scripsit:
>>
>> > What, precisely, is muta cum liquida?  (I know it's Latin, and I know
>> > Latin, but by education extends only so far.)
>>
>>A stop (mutus) followed by an /l/ or /r/ (liquida).  In Latin, this
>>combination is treated as belonging to the following syllable, and thus
>>not making the preceding syllable heavy, so it does not attract the
>>stress.  For example, "tenebra" (darkness) has initial stress, because
>>it is te-ne-bra, not te-neb-ra.
>>(This rule was changed in Vulgar Latin, though.)
Actually, Catullus uses the latter in III:

At uo:.bi:.s ma.le sit, ma.lae te.neb.rae (line 13), also

Qui: nun.c_it pe.r_it.ter te.neb.ri.co:.sum (line 11).

I haven't found an example of the former (but I wouldn't put it past
Catullus to use both), although it seems to be more common overall (and the
only one possible at the start of the word).

Incidentally, line 14

Or.ci: quae_om.ni.a bel.la de:.vo.ra:.tis

read out of context could sound almost like

Or.ci: qui:_om.ni.a bel.la de:.vo.ra:.tis

(you) Orcs, who devour everything beautiful.

Jeff

BTW, does the form "tenebra" actually used?

>Great.  I've been mispronouncing some of my Latin as well.  I'm beginning
>to wonder what they *didn't* forget to teach me in school.
>
>Thanks for mentioning the difference here between Classical and
>Vulgar.  That's helpful to know.
>
>>[cool story about hobby horses snipped]
>
>Glad you liked the story.  Our kids are such a stitch.
>
>Isidora